Nettlecraft = Fibrecraft using the fibres from the Common Stinging nettle - Urtica Dioica

Since ancient times the fibres from the common stinging nettle have been used as a substitute for other plant fibres, such as Flax and Hemp, in the making textiles and papers.

In my quest to find the simplest way to get spinnable fibres from nettles I have experimented with both dew and water retting which are the two traditional methods of retting for Flax and Hemp.

Both these methods work well for nettles, however, I have found that if you leave the nettles standing until the spring nature will do the retting for you. I call this method “root retting”, it works particularly well in a frosty North European climate.